Category Archives: feldenchrist

There is a conversation on a private Feldenkrais forum related to some people’s perception of the Feldenkrais Method as a cult. The forum conversation is mainly regarding marketing. That is, finding better ways to explain Feldenkrais principles and introduce people to the work.

However, I know from my website database that many people search for the term, “Feldenchrist” on google. I have assumed that is some type of misunderstanding that comes about when some hears a foreign-sounding word and has to make some sense out of it.

I was curious if there was any information on the internet about Feldenkrais as a “cult.” I conducted a brief search on Google and previewed the first 100 or so websites that came up under the keyword phrase “Feldenkrais Cult.” The search led me to two listings (bold emphasis mine).

“Feldenkrais Method, The. Not Yet Rated. In effect a subset of Somatic Education, it is marketed in New Zealand under such names as Move To Improve. Basic idea seems to be that much body pain and physical restrictions (lack of movement) aren’t caused by old age but by learned habits and repetitive poor use of the body. OK so far. However the Feldenkrais Method, like many other alternative physical therapies, claims that by its application all sorts of things can be fixed, stress reduced, etc. There is no credible research evidence to substantiate such claims, and so is considered an alternative treatment. Although it is included in a prominant NZ online New Age resource listing, it may not be particularly New Age itself, but it and its practitioners often do have strong links to the New Age.”

The entries above, mild as they may be, are making insinuations without a shred of data and no attempts to define terms. Quakwatch mentions the “alleged results” of “increased vital energy.” What in the hell is increased vital energy? I have certainly never heard someone make that claim about the Feldenkrais Method and have no idea what it is or for what it stands. Could Quakwatch be kind enough to cite a reference for the quote above? Is that not standard scientific procedure? They are saying, in essence, “It’s not scientific, take our word for it.”

There is a growing pool of research regarding the Feldenkrais Method. Although it is certainly not overwhelming there are many attempts and many peer-reviewed articles concerning the Feldenkrais Method. (For a sadly outdated list that I have not updated recently, see: http://www.psych.utah.edu/feldenkrais/index.php (Sorry, the U of Utah deleted my website after I left grad school.

And the New Zealand cult network wants to associate the Feldenkrais Method with the “New Age.” Although, admittedly, it’s a meaningless term undefined by most who use it – including the people who write for the New Zealand cult network. I would think that a group attempting to steer people away from cults (a worthy undertaking) would do more to define what the heck they are talking about.

So called “scientific methods” when applied to human affairs are a notoriously slippery slope. I have been, and remain, completely shocked at the utter garbage that I was exposed to when undergoing a PhD program in Psychology at the University of Utah. The terms that were bandied about – latent variables, manifest variables, internal working models, cognitive structures, etc. etc. ad naseum. Sometimes the concepts are useful and can lead us into empirically testable hypothesis. Sometimes there is nothing behind them except an untested, naive belief that human behavior has “causes” that need scientific sounding names and numbers to describe them. Maybe they do – but if you can’t find one in the physical world, simply making a cause up and giving it a name is hardly science.

It’s not clear to me that “Feldenkrais Research” as it stands is going to do much better. I hope that in the zeal to gain the external stamp of approval from “science” that Feldenkrais Practitioners do not end up losing what makes the method so unique – helping living, breathing, human beings created actionable and meaningful differences in their lives.

So, is the Feldenkrais Method a “cult”? I think the answer is “no.” Though people can use the work in cult-like ways. Is there a “scientific basis” for it? Well, go to PubMed or another research website and you will find some evidence in support of the work.

I’m taking some time to do Ruthy Alon’s Feldenkrais, Awareness Through Movement series, called “Free Your Back.” (I don’t know where you can buy the series, I bought mine at the FGNA conference in Portland last year.) I’m doing the series for a number of reasons, not the least of which is research – I am readying a follow-up volume to my Feldenkrais Back Pain Relief mp3 download series, called “Eliminate Back Pain Now.” It’s always good to see what other practitioners have done already.

I discovered a fascinating thing while doing the series. It was something that made me feel like a rank beginner. Somehow, over the last few years (or decades?) I had lost a great deal of movement in my ankles. Doing a particular lesson in the series, dropping down into the ground while standing, bending my knees, keeping a soft back and flexing my ankles so that I could drop down further…at some point…I realized that there was an additional amount…a HUGE amount…that I could easily and safely flex my ankles. The movement reverberated through my entire system, evoking ease and flexibility throughout.

I’ve done similar movements on my own, in trainings, in workshops, but somehow this time, it really “clicked” and I perceived the pattern.

A few minutes later, I went into my kitchen to get some soup. The soup is in the lowest cupboard, just a few inches off the ground. When I bent down to get it, I rode down into the crouching posture as if my joints had been oiled with warm butter. Hmmm. Love it.

All seventeen of the podcast interviews on this site can be purchased and downloaded at once – Over 10 hours of material directly to your computer. Interviews and Awareness Through Movement Sessions from Feldenkrais Trainers, Practitioners and researchers, including, Jerry Karzen, Frank Wildman, Larry Goldfarb, Alan Questel, Martin Weiner, Katrin Smithback, Diana Razumny, Alan Fogel, Moti Nativ and Dr. Stephen Gilligan. Over 9 hours of material, including lectures, commentary and several Feldenkrais, Awareness Through Movement Lessons. Also, comes with a 16 page Feldenkrais eBook, that contains the original blog posts, pictures of Moshe Feldenkrais and some of his trainings and links to resources. Over 9 hours of material!!

Buy Eliminate Back Pain Now with Feldenkrais

Feldenkrais MP3 Download Package

Feldenkrais Podcast Episodes

Feldenkrais sessions that involve the breath have a tendency to bring out a great deal of emotion in me, sometimes leading to spontaneous crying or anger. Have you experienced something similar? The first time I experienced it was during a Feldenkrais table session (sometimes called "Functional Integration"). I was young at the time, only 24... […]

I am at a coffee shop preparing the transcript for my weekly Easy Feldenkrais session and I had a moment of confusion when the transcript of Moshe's session said, "Press the middle of your waist in the floor. That is, press the small ribs on the right and left - the floating ribs." To me,... […]

I was really excited a few days ago when I saw that my longtime friend, colleague and fellow "Feldenkrais Evangelist" Alfons Grabher had released a new book: Feldenkrais With Alfons: Getting Better Day By Day. Alfons does what I do - travels the world (He is an Austrian currently traveling in Hong Kong, Taiwan and... […]

Here is a wonderful (and free) audio Feldenkrais session that you can do right now. No need to enter your email, just click below to play. It is based on a session from "Alexander Yanai" (or AY as they are sometimes called). This is one of my all time favorite sessions. And that has little... […]

Several Feldenkrais practitioners told me that they do not like the tone of the article below from the U.K. Telegraph, but I love it! Slightly irreverent and 100% positive for Feldenkrais (from my point of view). "I was seeing the best physios in the world – and doing Pilates,” he recalls of his injuries, yet... […]

Moshe Feldenkrais

Every so often, I get questions from people about TMJ and surgery, be it a disk removal or grinding of the teeth or what have you. I am not a medical doctor and I cannot give medical advice. But what I can do is review the research on TMJ surgery, consult with experts, and make...

I have not been updating the blog too much these days, but just wanted to let you know that I (Ryan Nagy) am still here and the TMJ series is still going strong. I also want to relay to a very strange experience that I had last year but that I am only now writing...

I’m in the process of pulling together my pdf’s and research articles on TMJ in preparation for writing a book on the subject of “curing” TMJ. I put the word cure in quotes as very often TMJ does not seem to be a disease as much as a process. People often have processes of clenching...